Sheet-fed rotary printing press

ABSTRACT

This disclosure relates to a sheet-fed rotary printing press in which the sheet-feeding mechanism and the sheet delivery mechanism are located at the same end of the press with the sheet-feeding mechanism positioned above the sheet delivery mechanism. The press includes a pair of side frames in which the cylinders of a first printing unit and a second printing unit are journaled. The first printing unit is positioned above the second printing unit and both printing units include plate, blanket and impression cylinders. Three transfer cylinders connect the first printing unit to the second printing unit and are arranged to transfer the sheets with either the obverse side or the reverse side presented to the second printing unit. The sheet-feeding mechanism includes a feed board that feeds the sheets directly to the impression cylinder of the first printing unit. The sheet delivery mechanism includes an endless conveyor with gripper means that engages the front edge of the sheet as it leaves the impression cylinder of the second printing unit and conveys the sheet to a receiver. The sheet is inverted by the delivery mechanism so that the sheet is deposited on the pile with the freshly printed side facing upwardly. The press side frames include a central opening therethrough for access to the transfer cylinders and the cylinders of the printing units. Other openings are provided in auxiliary side frames for transverse movement of receivers for the piles of printed sheets delivered by the sheet delivery mechanism.

United States Patent Inventor Harry E. Mowry Pittsburgh, Pa. [21] AppLNo. 738,154 [22] Filed June 19,1968 [45] Patented Mar. 16, 1971 [73] Assignee Miller Printing Machinery Co.

Pittsburgh, Pa.

[54] SHEET-FED ROTARY PRINTING PRESS 7Claims,lDrawing Fig.

[52] U.S.Cl 101/231, 101/183 [51] Int. Cl B41f5/02, 1341f 5/16 [50] Field ofSearch 101/183, 180,181,184, 229,230, 231,217, 232, 240,177, 141, 142, 145,216

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,280,799 4/1942 Davidson 101/217 2,447,887 8/1948 Worthington 101/216 2,757,610 8/1956 Gegenheimeretal........ 101/183 3,247,790 4/1966 Nash 10l/l77 3,347,160 10/1967 Roozee 101/177 PrimaryExaminer-Robert E. Pulfrey Assistant ExaminerE. M. Coven Attorney-Stanley J. Price, Jr

ABSTRACT: This disclosure relates to a sheet-fed rotary printing press in which the sheet-feeding mechanism and the sheet delivery mechanism are located at the same end of the press with the sheet-feeding mechanism positioned above the sheet delivery mechanism. The press includes a pair of side frames in which the cylinders of a first printing unit and a second printing unit are journaled. The first printing unit is positioned above the second printing unit and both printing units include plate, blanket and impression cylinders. Three transfer cylinders connect the first printing unit to the second printing unit and are arranged to transfer the sheets with either the obverse side or the reverse side presented to the second printing unit. The sheet-feeding mechanism includes a feed board that feeds the sheets directly to the impression cylinder of the first printing unit. The sheet delivery mechanism includes an endless conveyor with gripper means that engages the front edge of the sheet as it leaves the impression cylinder of the second printing unit and conveys the sheet to a receiver. The sheet is inverted by the delivery mechanism so that the sheet is deposited on the pile with the freshly printed side facing upwardly. The press side frames include a central opening therethrough for access to the transfer cylinders and the cylinders of the printing units. Other openings are provided in auxiliary side frames for transverse movement of receivers for the piles of printed sheets delivered by the sheet delivery mechanism.

P a tented March 16, 1971 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lNl EN TOR ARRY E. MOWRY 9 31 Jpaa a ATTORNEY Patented March 16, 1971 3,570,398 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNVENTOR HARRY E. MOWRY l SMTLZ A T TORNE Y SHEET-FEB) ROTARY PRWTKNG PRESS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to a sheet-fed rotary printing press in which two printing units are connected by transfer cylinders so that the sheet may be printed sequentially in both printing units either on one side of on both sides of the sheet. More particularly, this invention relates to a sheet-fed rotary press in which the sheet-feeding mechanism and sheet delivery mechanism are positioned at the same end of the press in overlying relation to each other with the first printing unit positioned above the second printing unit and operatively connected to each other by three transfer cylinders.

2. Description of the Prior Art Gegenheimer et al. US. Pat. No. 2,757,610 entitled Sheethandling Mechanism and Method for Multicolor Perfector Press discloses an arrangement wherein two printing units are arranged in tandem and are operatively connected by three transfer cylinders. With the arrangement disclosed the sheets are fed to the first printing unit from one end of the press and are printed on one side in the first printing unit. The sheets are thereafter transferred to the tandemly arranged second printing unit by the transfer cylinders. The transfer cylinders are operable to transfer the sheets to the second printing unit with either the obverse side or the reverse side of the sheet presented to the second printing unit so that the press may be utilized as either a two-color press or a perfector press. The printed sheets are delivered from the second printing unit to a sheet delivery mechanism located at the end of the press opposite to the sheet-feeding mechanism. With the arrangement disclosed in Gegenheimer et al. two or more men are necessary to operate the press. The printer, who operates the press, remains near the sheet delivery mechanism to continually observe the printing quality. An assistant to the printer maintains a supply of sheets in the sheet-feeding mechanism and monitors the ink and water supply systems. Frequently, a third person is provided to assist the printer in operating the press. Where the sheet feeding mechanism and the sheet delivery mechanism are arranged at the same end of the press, the personnel required to operate the press may be reduced substantially.

Worthington US. Pat. No. 2,447,887 entitled Printing Press Frame" discloses a printing press frame for a web-fed press that includes a central opening therethrough for access to the inner portion of the press. In the Worthington patent the cylinders for the printing units are positioned on opposite sides of the central opening.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a sheet-fed rotary press where the sheet-feeding mechanism and the sheet delivery mechanism are located at the same end of the press in overlying relation. The press includes a first printing unit positioned above a second printing unit and transfer cylinders connecting the printing units to each other. The transfer cylinders are operable to transfer the sheet from the first printing unit to the second printing unit positioned therebelow with either the bverse side or the reverse side of the sheet presented to the second printing unit.

Accordingly, the principal object of this invention is to provide a sheet-fed rotary press operable to print both sides of a sheet that has the sheet-feeding mechanism and the sheet delivery mechanism at the same end of the press.

Another object of this invention is to provide a sheet-fed rotary press with one printing unit positioned above a second printing unit so that sheets can be fed to and delivered from the same end of the press. These and other objects and ad- BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation of the sheet-fed rotary press illustrating the sheet-feeding mechanism positioned above the sheet delivery mechanism.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view in elevation illustrating the arrangement of the first printing unit, the second printing unit and the transfer cylinders therebetween.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings, the sheet fed rotary printing press generally designated by the numeral 10 includes a pair of main side frames 12 having a front end portion 14 and a rear end portion 16. Although both FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate one of the side frames 12 in elevation, it should be understood the press 10 has a pair of frames 12 that are suitably supported in spaced parallel relation to each other by transverse connecting members so that the frames 12 form journal support means for the cylinders. The frames 12 both have parallel aligned central access openings 15 through which access is gained to the cylinders of the printing units and the transfer cylinders, as later discussed.

Secured to the main frame front end portions 14 are auxiliary frame members 18 that support 7 the sheet-feeding mechanism generally designated by the numeral 20 and a sheet delivery mechanism generally designated by the numeral 22. The sheet-feeding mechanism 20 is positioned above the sheet delivery mechanism 22 and both the sheet-feeding mechanism 20 and sheet delivery mechanism 22 are located at the front end of the press 10.

Suitably journaled within the frames 12 are the cylinders of a first printing unit 24 and a second printing unit 26. The printing unit 24 includes an impression cylinder 28, a blanket cylinder 30 and a plate cylinder 32. Suitable inker and water rolls 34 are associated with the plate cylinder 32.

The second printing unit 26 includes an impression cylinder 36, blanket cylinder 38, plate cylinder 40 and inker and water rolls 42 associated with plate cylinder 40. The printing units 24 and 26 are operatively connected by three transfer cylinders. The first transfer cylinder 44 is arranged to receive the printed sheet from the first impression cylinder and transfer the sheet to a second transfer cylinder 46. The second transfer cylinder 46, in turn, transfers the printed sheet to a third transfer cylinder 48 that is arranged to then transfer the sheet to the impression cylinder 36 of the second printing unit 26 with either the obverse side or the reverse side of the sheet presented to the second printing unit. When the third transfer cylinder is arranged to transfer the sheet to the second impression cylinder with the observe side presented to the second impression cylinder, the press 10 is arranged for two-color printing wherein the same side of the sheet is printed by both the first printing unit 24 and the second printing unit 26 This type of printing is generally designated two-color printing in that only one side of the sheet is printed in both printing units. The third transfer cylinder 48 is also arranged to transfer the sheet and present the reverse side of the sheet to the impression cylinder 36 so that both sides of the sheet are printed by the printing units 24 and 26 respectively. This type of printing is generally referred to as perfecting" wherein both sides of a sheet are printed by one pass through the press It).

The impression cylinder 44 and impression cylinder 36 have transversely aligned grippers 50 arranged to engage the sheet and transfer the sheet to the next adjacent cylinder, as illustrated by the arrows in FIG. 2. The second transfer cylinder 46 has a diameter twice the diameter of the transfer cylinders 44 and 48 and has two sets of transversely aligned grippers 52 and 5 that are diametrically opposed and arranged to alternately engage sheets transferred from the first transfer cylinder 44.

The third transfer cylinder 43 has pairs of opposed transversely aligned grippers 56 and 58 that are operable to transfer the sheet from the second transfer cylinder 46 to the impression cylinder 36 of the second printing unit 26 with either the obverse or the reverse side of the sheet presented to the impression cylinder 36. Where the obverse side is presented to the second impression cylinder, the leading edge of the sheet is engaged by the two-color grippers 56 and transferred directly to the grippers 50 of impression cylinder 36. Where the reverse side of the sheet is presented to the impression cylinder 36 the trailing edge of the sheet is first engaged by the perfecting grippers 58 and then transferred to the two-color grippers 56 by the inward tumbling action of the grippers as described in Gegenheimer et al. US. Pat. No. 2,757,610. The trailing edge of the sheet is thereafter transferred to the impression cylinder 36 as the leading edge of the sheet. In this manner the reverse side of the sheet is presented to the impression cylinder 36. Suitable cam-operated means are provided to open and close the grippers 50, 52, 54, 56 and 58 to transfer the edge of the sheet therebetween. Also, suitable drive gearing is provided to connect the cylinders of the first printing unit, the second printing unit and the transfer cylinders positioned therebetween so that the respective cylinders rotate in preselected timed relation to each other.

The second transfer cylinder 46 has a suction and blower device (not shown) that maintains the trailing edge of the sheet engaged to the second transfer cylinder and disengages the trailing edge of the sheet therefrom and presents the trailing edge of the sheet to the perfecting grippers when the press is arranged to print the sheet on both sides.

The Gegenheimer US. Pat. No 2,757,610 illustrates suitable gearing for connecting the respective cylinders, suitable cam-operated means for opening and closing the respective grippers and suitable suction and blowing means on the second transfer cylinder 46. The disclosure of these elements in the Gegenheimer et al. US Pat. No. 2,757,610 is incorporated herein by reference. It should be understood that other equivalent means may be employed to open and close the grippers in timed relation and provide a means to engage the trailing edge of the sheet to the second transfer cylinder 46. A feed roll drive 60 is mechanically engaged to the drive mechanism for the printing unit 24. From the same shaft on which feed roll drive 60 is mounted, other means are provided to actuate the sheet feeder mechanism.

The cylinders for the first printing unit 24 and second printing unit 26 are arranged in overlying relation wherein the cylinders of the first printing unit 24 are positioned above the cylinders of the second printing unit 26. The first transfer cylinder 44 is positioned on the left side ofa vertical plane 64 extending through the axis or center of the second transfer cylinder 46 as viewed in FlG. 2. Similarly, the third transfer cylinder 48 is positioned on the same side of the vertical plane 64 so that both transfer cylinders 44 and 48 are positioned on the same side of the vertical plane 64 extending through the axis or center ofthe second transfer cylinder 46.

The first transfer cylinder 44 is positioned above a horizontal plane 66 extending through the axis or center of the second transfer cylinder 46, and the third transfer cylinder 48 is positioned below the horizontal plane 66. The first printing unit 24 is also positioned above the horizontal plane 66 and the impression and blanket cylinders 36 and 38 of the second printing unit 26 are positioned below the horizontal plane 66. The first printing unit 24 and the second printing unit 26 are both positioned on the same side of the vertical plane 64 extending through the center of the second transfer cylinder 46. It is with this arrangement of the respective cylinders in the first printing unit 24, second printing unit 26 and the transfer cylinders 44, 46 and 48 that it is now possible to feed a sheet to the first printing unit 24 and remove a printed sheet from the second printing unit 26 from the same end of the press 10.

Referring to FIG. 1, the sheet-feeding mechanism is positioned above the sheet delivery mechanism 22 and includes a vertical conveyor or hoist 68 that has a horizontal support 70. Sheets to be printed are positioned on the horizontal support 70 and are elevated to the location illustrated in solid lines in FIG. 1 and are moved toward the press 10 to a location designated by the numeral 72. Suitable mechanism (not shown) than elevates the stack of sheets to an elevation where a sheet feeder 74 is arranged to advance the sheets to the feed board 62 in a conventional stream feed. The sheets are fed to the grippers 50 on the first impression cylinder 28 of the first printing unit 24 from the sheet-feeding mechanism 20 by a sheet feeder 74.

The sheet delivery mechanism generally designated by the numeral 22 includes-an endless chain conveyor 76 reeved about a delivery roll 78 positioned beneath the impression cylinder 36 of the second printing unit 26 and about spaced end sprockets 80 positioned above a stack or pile board 82. The endless conveyor 76 is also reeved about a pair of idler sprockets 84 that are adjustable horizontally to maintain the desired tension on the endless conveyor 76. The endless conveyor 76 includes a pair of endless chains reeved about the respective rolls 78, sprockets 80 and 84 and includes transverse gripper bars 86 spaced at preselected locations along the endless conveyor 76. The gripper bars 86 are arranged to engage the leading edge of the sheet as it leaves the impression cylinder 36 of the second printing unit 26 and convey the sheet to a stack 88 on the stack board 82.

As the sheet is discharged from the impression cylinder 36 the printed side faces downwardly. The sheet is conveyed by the gripper bars 86 away from the printing machine 10 around the end sprockets 80 and then toward the printing machine 10 so that the sheet is reversed and the freshly printed side is facing upwardly as the sheet passes over the stack 88. Arcuate tracks or guides may be provided for the side edges of the sheet between the ends of the conveyor means 76 and controlled upward airflow from suitable blower means may be provided to maintain the freshly printed sheet suspended while it is being conveyed. Suitable means are provided to open the gripper bars 86 to release the leading edge of the sheet as the leading edge of the sheet approaches the vertical stop 90 on the stack board 82. A suitable suction device 92 is positioned adjacent the end sprockets 80 that retards the forward velocity of the sheet as it advances toward the press 10 and is deposited on the stack 88.

The auxiliary frame 18 includes transverse openings 94 to provide a transverse passageway for mobile stack carriers generally designated by the numeral 96. The mobile stack carriers are mounted on wheels 98 positioned in suitable transverse tracks 100 that extend through the transverse opening in the auxiliary frame 18. The mobile stack carrier 96 is suitably advanced beneath the discharge portion of the feed delivery mechanism and moved into a vertical sheetreceiver position by means of the vertical hoist 102. As the stack of sheets increases on the mobile stack carrier 96, the vertical hoists 102 move the stack carrier downwardly until a stack or pile of sufficient depth is obtained. An auxiliary receiver is then positioned between the pile and the discharge portion of the sheet delivery mechanism 22 and the mobile stack carrier is moved downwardly by the hoists 102 until the wheels 98 are positioned in the respective tracks 100. Suitable means then move the mobile stack carrier 96 with the stack of printed sheets thereon transversely through the transverse passageway formed by the openings 94 and a second mobile stack carrier is moved into position beneath the discharge portion of the sheet delivery mechanism and elevated to an operative position by means of the hoist members 102.

In FIG. 1, for purposes of illustration, a pile board 82 is shown in stack-receiving position and a mobile stack carrier 96 is shown on the floor beneath the pile board 82. It should be understood, however, the mobile stack carrier 96 includes a pile board with caster wheels 98 secured to its underside. A separate pole board is not required and only one mobile stack carrier with an integral stack board is positioned beneath the discharge portion of the sheet delivery mechanism.

With the hereinbefore described arrangement of the sheetfeeding mechanism 20 positioned above the sheet delivery mechanism 22 and the arrangement of the printing units 24, 26, and the transfer cylinders 44, 46 and 48 within the press 10, it is now possible to feed sheets to be printed to a press for printing on one side with two colors by the two printing units, or printed on both sides by the same printing units and delivering the sheets by means of a sheet delivery mechanism to a stack beneath the sheet feeder unit at the same end of the press. The particular configuration and arrangement of the respective cylinders within the press and the particular arrangement of the transfer cylinders provides a means within the press to feed and deliver sheets to and from the same end of the press so that fewer operators are required to operate th press.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle, preferred construction and mode of operation of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other wise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

l. A sheet-fed rotary printing press for sequentially printing on both sides of the sheet by a pair of printing units comprismg:

a first printing unit for printing a first impression on a sheet,

said first printing unit including a first impression cylinder, a first blanket cylinder and a first plate cylinder;

a second printing unit for printing a second impression on said sheet, said second printing unit positioned below said first printing unit and including a second impression cylinder, a second blanket cylinder and a second plate cylinder;

a first transfer cylinder positioned adjacent to said first impression cylinder, said first transfer cylinder having gripper means thereon to engage the leading edge of a sheet on said first impression cylinder;

said first impression cylinder positioned between said first blanket cylinder and said first transfer cylinder;

said first impression cylinder and said first plate cylinder positioned on the same side of said first transfer cylinder;

a second transfer cylinder positioned adjacent to said first transfer cylinder, said second transfer cylinder having gripping means thereon to engage the leading edge of a sheet on said first transfer cylinder;

a third transfer cylinder positioned adjacent to said second transfer cylinder, said third transfer'cylinder having first gripper means thereon to engage the leading edge of a sheet on said second transfer cylinder, said third transfer cylinder having other gripper means thereon to engage the trailing edge of a sheet on said second impression cylinder;

said third transfer cylinder positioned adjacent to said second impression cylinder;

said second impression cylinder having gripper means thereon to engage an edge of a sheet from the third 6 transfer cylinder;

said first transfer cylinder positioned above the axis of said second transfer cylinder;

said third transfer cylinder positioned below the axis of said second transfer cylinder;

a pair of side frame members having said cylinders of said first printing unit and said second printing unit and said three transfer cylinders journaled therein for rotation in timed relation to each other;

said side frames having a central opening therethrough for access to said transfer cylinder and certain of said cylinders of said printing unit;

sheet-feeding means for feeding sheets to said first printing unit; and

sheet delivery means for receiving printed sheets from said second printing unit and delivering said sheets to a pile, said sheet-feeding means and said sheet delivery means, both located at the same end of said press with said sheet delivery means located beneath said sheet-feedin means. 2. A sheet-fed rotary prmtmgpress as set forth in c arm 1 in which, said first and third transfer cylinders are positioned on the same side of a vertical plane extending through the center of said second transfer cylinder.

3. A sheet-fed rotary printing press as set forth in claim 1 in which, said first printing unit and said second printing unit are positioned on the same side of a vertical plane extending through the center of said second transfer cylinder.

4. A sheet-fed rotary printing press as set forth in claim 1 in which, said impression cylinder of said second printing unit and said third transfer cylinder are positioned in substantially the same horizontal plane.

5. A sheet-fed rotary printing press as set forth in claim 1 in which, said sheet-feeding means includes an inclined feed board operable to feed sheets directly to sheet gripper means on said first impression cylinder in said first printing unit.

6. A sheet-fed rotary printing press as set forth in claim 1 in which said sheet delivery means includes:

a sheet delivery roll positioned beneath said second impression cylinder of said second printing unit;

a second roll positioned in overlying relation with said pile;

endless conveyor means extending around said rolls, and

said endless conveyor means including gripper means to engage the front edge of a sheet from said second impression cylinder of said second printing unit and invert said sheet so that said sheet is presented to said pile with the freshly printed side facing upwardly.

7. A sheet-fed rotary printing press as set forth in claim I which includes, a secondary pair of frame members having an opening therethrough for transverse movement of receivers for removing piles of printed sheets delivered by said sheet delivery means, said second pair of frame members located at the same end of said press as said sheet-feeding means and said sheet delivery means. 

1. A sheet-fed rotary printing press for sequentially printing on both sides of the sheet by a pair of printing units comprising: a first printing unit for printing a first impression on a sheet, said first printing unit including a first impression cylinder, a first blanket cylinder and a first plate cylinder; a second printing unit for printing a second impression on said sheet, said second printing unit positioned below said first printing unit and including a second impression cylinder, a second blanket cylinder and a second plate cylinder; a first transfer cylinder positioned adjacent to said first impression cylinder, said first transfer cylinder having gripper means thereon to engage the leading edge of a sheet on said first impression cylinder; said first impression cylinder positioned between said first blanket cylinder and said first transfer cylinder; said first impression cylinder and said first plate cylinder positioned on the same side of said first transfer cylinder; a second transfer cylinder positioned adjacent to said first transfer cylinder, said second transfer cylinder having gripping means thereon to engage the leading edge of a sheet on said first transfer cylinder; a third transfer cylinder positioned adjacent to said second transfer cylinder, said third transfer cylinder having first gripper means thereon to engage the leading edge of a sheet on said second transfer cylinder, said third transfer cylinder having other gripper means thereon to engage the trailing edge of a sheet on said second impression cylinder; said third transfer cylinder positioned adjacent to said second impression cylinder; said second impression cylinder having gripper means thereon to engage an edge of a sheet from the third transfer cylinder; said first transfer cylinder positioned above the axis of said second transfer cylinder; said third transfer cylinder positioned below the axis of said second transfer cylinder; a pair of side frame members having said cylinders of said first printing unit and said second printing unit and said three transfer cylinders journaled therein for rotation in timed relation to each other; said side frames having a central opening therethrough for access to said transfer cylinder and certain of said cylinders of said printing unit; sheet-feeding means for feeding sheets to said first printing unit; and sheet delivery means for receiving printed sheets from said second printing unit and delivering said sheets to a pile, said sheet-feeding means and said sheet delivery means, both located at the same end of said press with said sheet delivery means located beneath said sheet-feeding means.
 2. A sheet-fed rotary printing press as set forth in claim 1 in which, said first and third transfer cylinders are positioned on the same side of a vertical plane extending through the center of said second transfer cylinder.
 3. A sheet-fed rotary printing press as set forth in claim 1 in which, said first printing unit and said second printing unit are positioned on the same side of a vertical plane extending through the center of said second transfer cylinder.
 4. A sheet-fed rotary printing press as set forth in claim 1 in which, said impression cylinder of said second printing unit and said third transfer cylinder are positioned in substantially the same horizontal plane.
 5. A sheet-fed rotary printing press as set forth in claim 1 in which, said sheet-feeding means includes an inclined feed board operable to feed sheets directly to sheet gripper means on said first impression cylinder in said first printing unit.
 6. A sheet-fed rotary printing press as set forth in claim 1 in which said sheet delivery means includes: a sheet delivery roll positioned beneath said second impression cylinder of said second printing unit; a second roll positioned in overlying relation with said pile; endless conveyor means extending around said rolls, and said endless conveyor means including gripper means to engage the front edge of a sheet from said second impression cylinder of said second printing unit and invert said sheet so that said sheet is presented to said pile with the freshly printed side facing upwardly.
 7. A sheet-fed rotary printing press as set forth in claim l which includes, a secondary pair of frame members having an opening therethrough for transverse movement of receivers for removing piles of printed sheets delivered by said sheet delivery means, said second pair of frame members located at the same end of said press as said sheet-feeding means and said sheet delivery means. 